


The Hearts Of The World

by MonochromePhoenix



Category: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (Video Game), Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (Video Game)
Genre: Crossover, Gen, I'm Sorry, Maybe discontinued?? Who knows with me?, Novella, On Hiatus, POV Alternating, POV Third Person, Plot Twists, Spoilers, Time Travel, World Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2021-01-23 21:16:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21326812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonochromePhoenix/pseuds/MonochromePhoenix
Summary: "Oliver wakes up outside of the strange land of Evermore, all alone!""This is not how this was supposed to go..."Mutter two children, stuck watching the tale unfold.~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~This is the story of a group of five ending up at a time they really don't seem to belong, although only time will tell what's going on!{A Ni No Kuni 1 and 2 crossover, told from the perspectives of both groups!}
Comments: 18
Kudos: 37





	1. Awash

Chapter 1 ~ Awash  
Oliver

The gentle lapping of waves against the beach was a beautiful sight, but did little to calm the young boy, startled awake by his soggy boot. He glanced around, or at least tried to, as the final dregs of sleep and the sand all over him blurred his vision. It did not put the child in a good mood, and he sat up with a sullen expression. "Mr Drippy? Are you… there?" He mumbled, blinking the sand out of his eyes furiously as he looked for his old friend. Well, he wasn't nearby, Oliver could tell, but he resolved to find him and the others.

Wandering a beach was annoyingly difficult when you're covered in sand and water, Oliver sighed. The search was not going well at all. No clue of Drippy, and none of the others were around either. For the first time in months, he felt well and truly alone. Add the fact that he really didn't know where he was or what to do, and the boy could only sit on a rock outcropping, checking his wand still works. Oliver raised pillars of ice and melted them down into the sea without much focus, too busy contemplating his situation to care about finesse.

A faint crack, and he dove to the side. Any later and, well, the arrow embedded in rock showed what could have happened. Luckily for Oliver, or maybe unluckily, he had gotten used to being randomly attacked during his travels. Standing up slowly, he started to draw a rune in the air, glancing around for his assailant. "W-who's there? I'm… don't shoot!" The child yelled, his panic easily detected in his voice.  
"A… Child? The boss'll have something to say about that." A sort of pirate looking man with a crossbow, is what Oliver thought at first, stepped out from hiding, confusing Oliver further. No-one in either world wore that sort of clothing. At least, that Oliver knew of, and he thought he knew quite a lot. He started to mumble, slowly taking steps towards the pirate.  
"The… Boss? Where am I?"  
"You don't… You must be kidding!" The man laughed, but stopped when he saw Oliver's confusion. "You're not? I suppose you're going to the King then." He stepped towards Oliver, lowering his crossbow. "But any funny business and you're straight in the sea."

The walk was not pleasant, but as soon as Oliver spotted the shining city his curiosity was spiked. "Woah…"  
"Impressive, en'it? This is Evermore."  
"Evermore…" Oliver was a little shocked over how similar this name was to a place he knew all too well, but he shrugged it off. This was no time to be distracted, his friends might be in danger! Steadying himself, he quickened the pace to walk next to the man. "Golly, it's… Beautiful!" The response be got was a smug smile, and he was left speechless as soon as they entered the bustling city. "Oh, Grimalkin live here? And… Oh my! What're they?" Oliver bet Mr Drippy or Prince Marcassin would know. If they were here.  
"Those are Dogfolk, those are the Merfolk, and most of us around here are human." Adjusting his beret, the man explained. "Now look, here's the castle."

It was beautiful, breathtakingly beautiful. It rivaled the likes of Ding Dong Dell or Al Mamoon, towering into the sky above him. The inside was just as wondrous, a long carpet leading to a throne that was more than fit for a King. Water features lined the sides of the room; it wasn't lacking in luxury one bit. The only thing that could be considered out of place were the people grouped around. In a corner Oliver could see a pair, clearly trying to work on a project together. Over by the throne stood an odd pair of a blue-coated man and a small… Grimalkin child? The oddness of the room really stunned Oliver when a wild looking young girl sprinted over to them.  
"Oi, Khunbish! What've we got here?" She stopped in front of Oliver, a grin spread across her face. "Why is it always you who ends up with these things?"  
"I don't know." The man, Khunbish, rolled his eyes, looking down at the girl. "But we've got something, alright."  
"Ooh, and so we do! Wait, why is he here?"  
"I don't know, the kid hasn't said."  
"I have a name!" Oliver huffed, too preoccupied with worry to remember manners. "It's Oliver!"  
"Well-" the girl was taken aback, then smiled wider. "Heya Oliver! It's Tani!"  
"Oh, well… Nice to meet you, Tani?" Oliver responded with a light confusion.  
"Now get back to your job!" Tani bossed Khunbish back out of the room, getting a scoff and a mumbled curse as a response, then looked over at the mismatched pair by the throne. "Come on then, Oliver!"

"Oi, Evan!" Tani ran up to them, Oliver in tow. "Look a-"  
"Oh!" The cat-boy's eyes sparkled as he looked at Oliver, and the wizard couldn't help but smile at him. "Hello!"  
"Who..?" The man in the coat looked down at him, arms crossed. "Tani, you can't bring random people into the-"  
"Actually that was Khunbish! Anyway, he's interesting and stuff!"  
"Um, I'm Oliver…" Oliver nervously held his green locket against his chest, bowing slightly.  
"You can't just-"  
"Hello Oliver! My name is Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, king of Evermore!" Evan declared with pride, but Oliver had to think about it. A boy only his age as king? Though, he admitted, Evan was not the first one he's met. "Oh, and this is Chief Consul Roland Crane!"  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, your majesty! And you too, Mr Crane." Oliver bowed properly this time. "I'd love to talk with you all, but… Have you seen… A fairy with a lantern, or other new people around here? Please, any information would be useful…" Really, all he wanted was to find them all and go home. 

The three had been talking to each other, yelling across the room and had even asked another fairy-looking creature about it, but they had no luck. Esther, Mr Drippy, Swaine and Marcassin had never been seen, confirming Oliver's suspicions he was alone. He knew they all didn't work well alone either, and worried for their safety. Worried far more than he'd ever admit.  
"I'm so sorry…" Evan mumbled, hanging his head.  
"If we knew, we'd tell you, believe us." Added the Consul, and both of them really did sound sincere. Tani had scampered off to ask around a while back, leaving the three of them alone.  
"Thank you. Really." Oliver tried for a smile, but it was weak and showed his worry.  
"Oh! I know, we'll help you search for them!"  
"Really!?"  
"Well… We can, we do have the time for it at the moment." Roland agreed, nodding. "You should stay in the castle with us, for now."  
"Thank you, thank you both!" His smile this time was a real one. Maybe, just maybe, this King and his court would be another group he could help and befriend.

"Oh, poor Oliver…" mumbled a young girl, sitting at a table. "This-"  
"You're not King Evan!" Exclaimed a boy, walking into the marble room. "You must be- Oh, we're more messed up than I realized…"  
"You feel it as?" She asked as the boy sat down opposite her, nodding. "Oh…"  
"There's nothing I can do, though…"  
"Me neither… But I want to help Oliver find his friends!"  
"Don't worry, miss, I know King Evan sticks to his word!" The boy nodded proudly, pouring out some tea. "But it looks like you can't leave here… I'm sorry."  
"Don't be sorry, I'll watch over him!" Her voice tinkled away, the children talking together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome one and all! I think you'll find the story... Engaging.


	2. Of Breakfasts and Battle

Chapter 2 ~ Of Breakfast and Battle  
Evan

The morning dawned bright and early, and just like every other morning, the young king was on his throne. Like Roland always said, Evermore wasn't going to run itself! His tail twitched and he smiled, finishing reading the reports he didn't fully understand but still tried his hardest with. His attention was on another matter completely - the boy he met yesterday. He seemed so polite, and felt like he fit right in! But… There was something off about him. He definitely wasn't just a child, that's for sure. Suddenly, footsteps and the swing of a door startled him, making him drop all of the Consuls' important documents.  
"Good morn- I'm sorry your majesty!" Oliver paused in the middle of a yawn, running over and picking up the papers, Evan laughed, getting off his throne to help.  
"It's fine, and you can just call me Evan!" The cat king smiled as Oliver handed him the rest of the papers, which he left on the throne. He started to wander towards the door, expecting Oliver to follow. "Now come on, Floyd's making breakfast!"  
"Wha- umm, alright?" Oliver nodded, catching up to Evan and walking alongside him

The walk to Floyd's bakery was a short one, but the boy beside Evan looked so confused through it all, Evan started to get confused as well. It was just so odd to see Oliver gawking at things he was so used to! He supposed it at least proved he wasn't from this world… Evan opened the bakery door with a smile, stepping in and holding the door for Olliver. There were so many things going on, the smell of fresh bread mixed with savory meals filled the air, the calling of the fire was drowned out by the din of conversation and the shelves were covered in food of all types. To tell the truth, Evan liked this place the most, and with Olliver's wide eyes it looked like he agreed.  
"Woah… Your maj- Evan- this place is amazing!" He gasped, looking at the nearest food. Evan nodded, heading straight for the counter.  
"I know! Floyd is the best cook in the world, and I mean it!" He grinned proudly, taking a pair of fish sandwiches and leading Oliver to a quiet table by a window. Taking a seat, Evan held out one of the sandwiches for Oliver, "Sit down! Breakfast is on me!"  
"Oh, thank you!" Oliver looked shocked, but gratefully took the sandwich and sat opposite the king. Evan started to munch on it immediately, watching the street outside and Oliver at the same time. Oliver was eating as well, but kept staring outside.

"Oliver?" Evan asked, when they had both finished. "I can't help but notice that… you look so confused! What's wrong?"  
"Oh- well, you see, this place is nothing like where I come from at all… I just, well, don't know anything, and… Mr Drippy isn't here to explain it this time." Oliver sighed, while Evan listened intently. He found a few things about it a little curious, but focused more on trying to help.  
"I didn't realize! But of course I'll explain it all to you, Oliver! It'd be horrible if something went wrong because I forgot to explain!"  
"Really? Thank you so much, again, Evan!"  
"It's nothing!" The king shook his head, then proceeded to explain a little about the world. He didn't leave out much; every city was mentioned, as well as the founding of Evermore. Evan enjoyed explaining that part especially, except for when he mentioned the mice revolution. Those memories still caused him more pain than he wanted to admit, but he told them all to Oliver with a smile.

"Wow! So Ding Song Dell is- ruled by mice now, huh?" Oliver exclaimed, a little shiftily. "That's… And there are so many other major kingdoms!"  
"It's brilliant, isn't it? And I'm going to unite them all!" Evan bounced in his seat at his dream, truly believing in it. "In fact, we're almost there you know!"  
"Really?" The boy's face was stuck in an 'o' as he pondered it.  
"Mhm, really!" Nodding, Evan glanced around before standing up. The ever watching Roland had finally finished his breakfast and left them alone, so he was free to start his plan. Evan looked down at Oliver, grinning. "Now, me and Tani want to take you somewhere!"  
"Me? Okay, let's go!" He stood up, smiling.

They met up with Tani on the beach Khunbish had said Oliver was found on. The boys had taken their time to get there, so they ended up finding her bored, and playing with a jeweled shell attached to a rope. "Tani! We're here!"  
"You took long enough! I even had time to find this laying around!" She laughed, but Oliver went pale and held his hand out.  
"Can I have it back?" He asked, looking guilty. "I should've make sure it was still on…"  
"It's yours, a trinket like this?" Tani shrugged then gave it back to the boy, who quickly put it on. "Alright!"  
"More importantly!" Evan declared, looking at them both. "There are reports a cave nearby has unusual activity! I thought maybe that could be Oliver's friends?"  
"You're right!" Tani gasped, smiling. "Even if it isn't, we should take down whatever monster's there!"  
"It could be my friends?" Oliver's face lit up, and he nodded. "Then we have to go! But, uh… Isn't it dangerous for you to be fighting? You're only a child, and the king! And what about Tani?" His face now fell as he worried about them.  
"We're only children? Have you looked in a mirror?" Tani asked, affronted, drawing her spear. "We can fight better than most of our army!"  
"She's right, Oliver!" Evan nodded, determined. His sword glinted in the sun as he proudly showed it to Oliver. "So, we can protect you and ourselves!"  
"I-" Oliver paused, unsure, but nodded and smiled. "If you say so... I hope we find them!"

The cave was dark, damp and smelly. Evan didn't like caves, and it was clear that only Tani, wandering ahead, felt comfortable in the inclosed space. Oliver didn't look that bothered, but he was still twitchy and silent. The minor monsters in their path were no problem at all for Evan and Tani; they easily cut them down while keeping Oliver from harm. Evan didn't want the poor boy to get hurt! As king, it was his responsibility to help the people in his kingdom, no matter how they came here. That's what he believed.  
"There'd be a sign of them by now…" Oliver sighed, looking up at the jagged ceiling. His disappointed voice made the other two look at him, but he continued. "We should probably head back to town."  
"No way!" Tani spun on her heel, looking back at him. "We've come this far already! Even if they're not here, we're protecting Evermore and training!"  
"Yeah! There'd be no point in turning back now!"  
"You're both right, huh... Okay..!" Oliver nodded, still a little unsure. Evan was worried about him, maybe he wasn't used to trips like these, like they were? But nothing he could think about deterred him from proceeding. It was an uneventful place, after all, and Tani was right, like she usually was.

Of course, this could be one of those rare occasions she wasn't. Blocking the blobs of slime being launched at him, Evan didn't have much time to think. He dashed in, slicing at the gelatinous mass. Like most slimes, it didn't work exactly well. Tainted slimes were the worst. From the corners of his eyes he could see Tani attempting to shoot it, not to much avail. Still, he sliced at it again. And again. Once more. When that got too dangerous to continue, he jumped back, dodging yet another attack. A glimmer, and his wand was in his hand now, as he shot fireballs at the creature. Oliver was shocked at the sudden weapons change, but Evan could think why later. He had a slime to defeat.

"Ack-!" Tani got hit in the shoulder when she ran past for a quick swipe. She fell to the floor. Defeated. Without backup, Evan forgot how hard battle was. The two of them had only slightly dented the monster. They felt… Pretty stupid. Evan was not ready to tell Roland about the nasty burns this thing was going to give him.  
"That's enough!" Oliver ran in front of him, drawing a shape in the sky with his gilded wand. Wait, wand? Oliver was a wizard? Evan jolted, surprised. He was even more surprised when the creature exploded in a blast of light. It dazed Evan. As he blinked the sudden blindness away, he was shocked. The only traces of that thing left? Goo stuck all over the cave walls.  
"Are you alright?" Oliver went over to Tani first, using another weird rune to wrap her in a green light.  
"I'm- woah, that was weird!" She gasped, jumping to her feet. She looked completely unharmed! "What are you, a miracle worker?"  
"Me? Um, no, that's definitely not it." Oliver shook his head, casting the same spell on Evan. He was left sightless once again, but the light enveloping him was warm and sapped away each and every one of his pains. As it dissipated and he could see the room again, he was no longer injured or tired. The others wouldn't worry as much now!  
"Thank you Oliver!" He bowed, smiling.  
"Yeah, that's brilliant!" Tani ran over, bouncing.  
"It's nothing! As long as you're alright now!" Oliver smiled, tucking his wand away. "I'm happy to save you! Let's just… head back? I don't know if you two could handle much more combat, magic doesn't fix everything."  
"Yeah! We should tell everyone Oliver defeated that creature!" Evan grinned, and Oliver got a bit abashed.  
"Please, you two weakened it first, I'm not that good!"  
Evan thought he was that good. It's not like they did much damage. But, Oliver did, well, that! He vaguely remembered a spell he once heard of, a spell only certain wizards could master. To think, someone his age that strong! It was brilliant!

Roland was not impressed. Neither was Batu. Or Leander, or anyone at all. Except maybe Bracken, who watched the chaos from the next room, where it was safe.  
"Evan! How could you go out there without backup?"  
"I had Tani! And Oliver!"  
"We don't know enough about Oliver!"  
"Girlie, you could've died!"  
"But I didn't, I'm fine! No injuries!"  
"That was a horrendous decision, if Evan was hurt so much could've been ruined. You as well, Tani. You're dear to a lot of people. And there's still that problem to deal with."  
The group argued in the throne room, Oliver and Lofty standing to the side. Evan pitied him, having to listen to this. It wasn't the first time, and knowing himself and Tani, it wouldn't be the last. Oh well, he felt like he learned enough today to justify the lecture!

"Oliver!" The young girl smiled at her friend, drinking tea. "He saved them!"  
"Wow… you were right! He is strong! Thank goodness he's okay…" The slightly older boy nodded, then frowned. "But… How did you get here?"  
"Umm…" She paused to think, unsure. "I don't know! Wherever Oliver goes I follow, because that's what I do! What about you?"  
"Well, I'm supposed to be here, I came here myself! Except, it messed up, when you arrived… Hmm… Oh well. More tea?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I never realized how much this was until I proofread it, oh well! I hope you liked, uh, yeah, I'm just hungry from describing bread. Anyway, hope you enjoyed!
> 
> {Also you should follow me on Tumblr @...writings-of-the-otherworld if you felt like listening to my everyday struggles with writing any of my stuff, if I get my act together I might post exclusive stuff there as well, I dunno-}


	3. Forest Of Dreams

Chapter 3 ~ Forest Of Dreams  
Oliver

A few days had come and gone, giving Oliver time to explore most of the city he was staying in. It felt vaguely familiar, wandering the crowded streets here. What he knew to be definitely familiar, especially on his first walk, was the stares he got. He knew his clothes were out of place once again, but he couldn't bring himself to change them. After all, a small part of his mind muttered, it'll make the others finding him so much easier! And to be honest, he loved every inch of the clothes he was given. It's not like they were that different, after all. The people all around him all wore completely different outfits to one another, even his friends from the castle! King Evan and Consul Roland wore something similar to the Ding Dong Dell fashions he recognised, but… Well, the others looked nothing alike. Neither did his group, he admitted, remembering their mismatched outfits with a smile. At least they had matching winter coats? He laughed to himself at the thought, looking at the gardens he'd come across. They were quiet and peaceful, and helped him think of his overall plan. Maybe today he could figure something-  
"Oliver, hey!" 

A young woman approached him, smiling. He recognised her as Bracken, although he hadn't really spoken with her. Looking away from the bushes, he looked politely up at her.  
"Hi Bracken! Good morning!"  
"Morning!" She sat on a bench near him, stretching back. "How're you holding up?"  
"Huh? Me?" Oliver thought about it, then wandered over and sat next to her. "I'm fine! Really!"  
"Wow, you sound a lot like some others I know. But that's good, as long as you're not… totally lost or whatever."  
"No, I understand enough! Uh, but… Did you need something?"  
"Nope, not at all! I was stretching my legs when I saw you, so thought I could introduce myself properly. Oh, right! Bracken Meadows, co-founder of Broadleaf Inc. and head of industry here in Evermore, at your service." Nudging her goggles, she smiled proudly. It was obvious her titles meant a lot to her. Oliver smiled.  
"It's nice to properly meet you." He nodded his head. Thinking about the many things he's known by, he added, "That's really impressive, huh." He decided he wouldn't say his titles, as introducing yourself as the 'Savior' or 'Pure-hearted One' sounded bigheaded. Really bigheaded. "Everyone I've met here is so… Well…"   
"Overly dramatic and impressive? I feel you." Bracken laughed happily. "Believe me, my first time meeting them was something, alright. But they're good people!"  
"Mhm!" The child nodded, looking up at the sky. "You guys have been really nice to me… thanks."  
"Oh, it's nothing! We all know what it is to lose your friends, so we do our best to help."   
"Oh- well, um, thank you anyway. I know that they'll fit in perfectly here." Oliver smiled to himself, thinking about his friends. It was a shame he… Oh! He just thought of something that he'd have to try out later. Maybe he wasn't as alone as he thought!

"Bracken?"  
Oliver could hear yelling, though couldn't see who was making the noise.  
"Shoot-" Bracken jolted, then stood up and yelled back. "At the bench!" Fast footsteps approached them, and Roland came into view.   
"We've been looking for you, we ne- oh, good morning Oliver." He noticed the boy, who then smiled at him.  
"Good morning Mr Roland!"  
"Oooh, riight- I completely forgot." Bracken sighed, rubbing the back of her head.  
"That's alright, but we're leaving now. Actually… Oliver, would you mind coming with us?"  
"Huh-? Me?" Oliver stood up, confused. "Where?"  
"We're going to explore the dreamer's maze! I need more stuff." Bracken explained, although left the elaborating to Roland.  
"Evan, Bracken and I are heading to a nearby forest to gather materials for Bracken and Leander's work. There's this door system that takes us to a labyrinth, and according to Evan, you're good to have as backup." Roland admitted. Oliver was confused. Evan had said that? He was honoured, really, but also shocked. He didn't want people's hopes higher than they should be, although he was probably being silly.  
"Well, alright! I can come!"

They met up with Evan in the market, and he was bursting with energy. Also, the Mr Drippy-looking creature stood next to him. While Roland was explaining or something, Oliver stared at it. It stepped closer to him, looking every bit like the spunky fairy he knew. "Um, sir?" He ventured, curious. "Are you a… Fairy?"  
"Me? A fairy?" It scoffed proudly. "I'm Lofty, Kingmaker of this here kingdom! You hear that? Kingmaker!"  
"S-sorry Mr Lofty!" Oliver bowed. The others were in different stages of laughter over the two of them. "It's just that you look a lot like the fairies I know…"  
"You speak to fairies?" Lofty thought about it. "You are weird! Though… If you see them, tell them that Lofty has gone onto much better than a lowly, uh, child's doll!" He laughed, while Oliver was shocked, and a little embarrassed. It's not his fault Mr Drippy was a- how did Lofty know that? Maybe it was… a common predicament?  
"Lofty!" Evan sighed, shaking his head at his friend. Bracken was chuckling, but Roland looked a tad unimpressed.   
"Remember, we're trying to do something?"  
"Righto! Off we go!" Lofty ran ahead of the group, but with his small legs, they caught up in no time. Bracken and Roland naturally fell into conversation, so Oliver walked with Evan.  
"Evan, what exactly is a dreamer's maze? I wasn't listening all that well." Oliver muttered, the other boy smiled.  
"It's a door, but it leads into this… Other dimension full of monsters and treasure, and you have to find more doors to continue or escape." Evan happily explained, but Oliver remained confused. "Just stick close!"  
"Okay! Try not to get hurt this time though, Evan…"  
"I won't, I won't! Roland will protect me, I can't be hurt with him around!" The child spoke with such belief, Oliver swore his locket flashed green, although no-one else seemed to notice.  
"Don't forget with me around, we'll be fine!" Lofty yelled back, to which Evan and Oliver laughed.  
"Are all Kingmakers like that?"  
"No, just my one!"

Leaving Evermore and heading west, the party continued in their jovial ways. The monsters in the plains were all too weak to even bother them, so their travel was uneventful. Which lead to the curious cat king asking Oliver more questions. "So, what kind of magic can you do?"  
"Well… I have a few odd spells for everyday use, but… I'm more suited to battle!" He nodded, thinking about his collection of pages. "Although the sages can do a lot more than I can."  
"Wow, that makes you… A combat wizard?" Evan thought it over, excited. "That's brilliant! But… Sages? What do they do?"  
"You don't have sages? They're the strongest wizards in the world, and at the moment… Only three of the great sages are alive." Oliver muttered glumly, witnessing the deaths of the deceased two were not some of his happiest memories. But he couldn't focus on them, he had a King to befriend.  
"Woah… Do you know them?" Evan continued, as the others went quiet to listen in.  
"Oh, um, I know, or knew, all of the sages! Two of them are- wait were- no, it's definitely- anyways, they are my friends' dads, then there's the queen of a small kingdom, then, oh! One of them is my friend! He's brilliant! And the other was… was mom."  
"That's- oh." Evan caught on, then frowned. He looked to be reminded of someone. "Your mother was a great sage? That's probably why you're so strong! She's proud of you, I bet!" Evan's belief was obvious yet again, and Oliver trusted him. He smiled, and Evan smiled back. "Anyway! I can use magic too!"  
"You can?"  
"Yep! It's not as good as yours, but it's pretty helpful in a pinch." He then leaned over and whispered conspiratorially. "I can outcast Roland and Bracken!"  
"I heard that!" The mechanic laughed, looking back at them. "And I can run circles around you all in a heartbeat!"  
"Well I can outduel you!" The two were laughing, and Oliver joined in. It was so ridiculous, but so brilliant! Even Roland couldn't do anything but smile at the two of them.

As they reached the top of a hill, the forest came into view. It was a beautiful, lush, green place full of trees and wildlife. Excited, Evan and Oliver ran down the hill, the other three following them. All five paused at the entrance, preparing their weapons, Oliver figured. It's not like a wand took much effort, or looked impressive, he sighed. The others with their swords and guns looked scary.   
"This shouldn't be trouble, but business as usual just in case." Roland warned. Business as usual? This was not what business as usual looked like. Oliver only hoped it was for the others.  
"Got it!"  
"Alright! Let's go!" Evan happily lead the way into the forest, bit Oliver couldn't help but notice Roland sticking close, while Lofty and Bracken wandered a bit more. He stuck close, too. Getting lost would be… bad. Vacate might not exactly work around here. Oh well, everyone looked relaxed enough.

This place was horrible! They couldn't take a few steps without another monster encounter!  
"I swear it wasn't like this last time." Roland huffed, trying to reassure Oliver as he finished off a weird fae creature. "Or any time. They're acting weird."  
"This is not-" Bracken huffed, kicking a hamster with a club out of her way. "Business as usual!" At least they were all on the same page. No, wait, that was no good! Oliver frowned as he shot out a fireball. If everyone was confused, this would not be as easy as they promised. There were just so many of them! Oliver jumped back as a projectile attack came towards him, to have Evan dash in front, deflect it, and slice the monster.   
"Be careful!" He huffed, standing next to Oliver and drawing his wand. "But now I can show you what I can do!" With a grin, an enemy behind Bracken erupted in a spire of flame. "See?"  
"Wow! Evan, that's-" Oliver watched it, starting to cast a longer spell. "That's good! But, watch this!" Oliver raised Mornstar and rain fell down from the sky, damaging everything in the area.  
"Keep it up!" Lofty cheered, although, he was even more useless than Mr Drippy. Oliver would never actually say that, of course! It's not like the Kingmaker was actually doing much, though. But the others were holding their own! And so the fight continued, as every time they felled a monster two more would appear in its place. 

Their mp was not looking that great, and Oliver didn't even have any coffee. Evan, Bracken and Roland were all in the thick of it. Bangs and pops erupted everywhere. It was sheer chaos. The likes of which Oliver almost missed. It was his element! The idea made him smile, there was no way he'd lose! It was a gamble, but… "Go!" He yelled, and a small creature with a sword appeared. Oliver cheered, it worked! Looks like his beloved Mite was still with him! And so, it joined the fray. There was renewed life and hope throughout the party now. Oliver and his Mite frequently switched, the tiny sword flashing around the battlefield.   
"What's? That?" Evan yelled, quickly petting it while he charged a spell. Oliver was all too happy to respond.  
"My familiar, it's my friend! Don't worry, we've got this!"  
"As long as it helps out!" Roland added, protecting the two casters while Bracken ran around trying to do three roles at once. Oliver would describe it as… Organised chaos? But oh, it worked! And it worked well! There were fewer and fewer of them to fight! He couldn't help but smile and laugh childishly, remembering all that time spent training. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw more of them go down and Lofty start to bounce. This was it.   
"It will!"  
"Come on, one more push!"

And that one push was all they needed as the final monster fell. "We win!"  
"We do? We do!"  
"Well done." Roland spoke with a slight smile, brushing down his coat. "You all did brilliantly."  
"Thank you!" Oliver beamed. "Is anyone hurt?"  
"I'm fine!" Evan called, muffled by the herbs he was eating. Bracken was wandering around, confused.  
"Guys? Why were they so vicious? It's not like- Oh. Ooh!" Her eyes lit up as she turned to them. "They're protecting something, maybe?"  
"Really?" Evan tilted his head.  
"I'm sure of it! And it's got to be… this way!" She set off down a path, leaving the others to follow her. Although they were tired, nothing slowed down the pace of the curious children and their guardian. They were still grinning from their victory and complementing one another easily.  
"Aren't we going away from the door?" Evan looked around.  
"Yep! Finding out what they were guarding is more important anyway!" Bracken called back, still thinking about it.  
"It is? I wonder what it could be..?"  
"Hopefully it's useful, otherwise that was a waste of time. A painful waste of time."

The noise of leaves crunching underneath heavy footsteps stopped all of a sudden, and the rest tripped over themselves trying to stop before they crashed.  
"What the-" Bracken was clearly shocked at she stared at something. "That's-"  
"What is it?" Roland peered over her shoulder, then also stopped in shock. "That is a surprise."  
"Eh?" The Kingmaker ran in front of them. It was no surprise that Lofty too, was surprised. "Crikey!"  
"Let me see!" Evan jumped to get a look, then turned back to Oliver. "Oliver, come look! It's a girl! They were protecting a girl!"  
A girl? Oliver jolted, confused. How could a girl get those monsters to protect her? "I'm coming!" He took a slower pace to get there, mulling it over. But when he saw the sleeping girl, he almost fell over. "I-!" He could see why everyone else was surprised, and he was too! This was a real lucky break! It was- he found her! That blonde hair and gilded harp could only belong to one person. "Esther!"

"I'd love some!" The girl giggled, taking a sip from her cup. The boy matched her actions, smiling. "Thank you!"  
"You're welcome, it's the least I can do."  
"Oh, I'm not doing anything!"  
"You are! You're really nice for staying with me."  
"I am? Well then, you're nice for staying with me as well."  
The two drank some more of his tea, glad that everything was relatively fine now. It would work out, they were sure of it. As sure as the two of them could feign, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I quake- this chapter took hours I stg-
> 
> MORE IMPORTANTLY HAVE YOU GUYS HEARD THERE'S A NI NO KUNI 2 BOARD GAME?  
I mean if you're here you obviously like the game and characters so 👀👀


	4. Graceful Tale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so there are really heavy Ni No Kuni spoilers in this one, and in the rest of the work! In case you missed it, this is a very spolier-riddled thing for both games, so watch out! Alright, Mono out, enjoy~!

Chapter 4 ~ Graceful Tale  
Evan

"Esther!" Oliver exclaimed, running up to the sleeping girl and crouching next to her. "Wake up, I'm here!"  
He sounded so happy! It must be his friend! Evan grinned for him, watching Oliver from the edge of the clearing. "Roland, look!" He whispered, glancing up at him.  
"I know- It looks like Oliver found one of them."  
"But why were the monsters guarding her?" Bracken muttered, still thinking.  
"You can ask her later! Now shush, I want to watch this." The king pouted, which promptly shut the two of them up. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lofty shuffle closer so his short frame could see.

Oliver poked the still-sleeping girl, anxiously waiting to see if his friend was alright. "Yes, yes, I'm getting-" The girl muttered, then stopped as her eyes opened and she saw Oliver. Those wide eyes filled with relieved tears as she sat up and hugged him. "Oliver! You're here!"  
"Esther-!" Oliver hugged her back, smiling. "I am! I finally found you!"  
"Aww, there's sweet." Lofty nodded, looking back at Evan, who frowned. Esther, was it? Something about this set his mind turning. He was onto something. Maybe.  
"So," Smiled Esther, as she let go of Oliver and stood up. "Where are we?"  
"Well…" Oliver stood up as well, thinking.  
"Scratch that-" Ester looked around, confused. "Where are the others? I was expecting at least one of them to worry about me!"  
"About that… You're the first person I've found…"  
"What? What?! You can't be serious?" Ester was shocked, loud, and clearly worried about them. She grabbed her harp, looking ready to fight someone to help them. Although, Evan noted a harp really didn't make a good weapon, if that was her plan.  
"I am serious!" Oliver yelled, then sighed. "I wish I knew where they are..." He winced. "Please don't yell in my ears…"

It was then Roland decided to interrupt. "Oliver? Is this one of the people you mentioned?"  
"Of course she is!" Oliver looked at him, nodding.  
"Hello!" Evan waved from behind Roland, and she gave him a confused smile back.  
"Uh, who are you people?"  
"They're the people who've been looking after me! They're nice, I swear."  
"Mhm! My name is Evan Pettiwisker Tildrum, king of Evermore!"  
"Evermore?" Esther did not look convinced whatsoever. Evan pitied her, waking up with a bunch of weird people around her.  
"It's real. You're in… Another world, we think." Roland explained, sighing. "However, with how little anyone has actually said about your world, it's really rather suspicious. In fact-"  
"Roland!" Evan chided, shaking his head. Even if he had his own suspicions, he would never reject helping them. "I'm sorry, it's his job to look after me."  
"That's fine, your majesty. If Oliver believes you, I trust his judgement." She smiled sweetly, plucking at her harp. It made a beautiful noise, one that calmed the entire forest.

"Well, I'm Bracken Meadows, head of industry, this is Roland Crane, he's the Consul, so he's pretty important, and the small thing there is Lofty. Our Kingmaker." Bracken stepped forwards, and Lofty huffed.  
"I'm more than a-" He complained. Oliver muttered something into Esther's ear that made her laugh.  
"Oh my! But it's nice to meet you." The girl bowed gracefully to the king, and waved at the other three. "I'm Esther, a familiar keeper!"  
"Familiar?" Evan questioned, confused. Wasn't that the… Small warrior thing Oliver owned? There were people who looked after them?  
"You don't know? Well…" Ester gracefully took a step and held her arm out. A green orb jumped out of her chest, and morphed into a short, chubby bird. "Meet Gogo!"  
"Gogo?" Evan looked down at it, and it quacked at him! He laughed. "It's adorable!" The quack was quickly followed by a happy noise from Oliver's familiar as it joined the bird.  
"This is my Mite, too!"  
"Oh my!" Bracken crouched down to look at them both, her curiosity lighting up. "I wonder what they'd make of the Higgledies…" As she muttered to herself, Evan laughed.  
"They're wonderful!"  
"I know." Ester nodded, putting Gogo away. Oliver followed suit, then looked at Roland.  
"Um, Mr Roland?"  
"Just Roland's fine, and yes, as long as you both behave Esther can stay with us." He sighed, shaking his head as everyone else smiled at his answer. Well, Evan could have let them anyway, but if Roland agrees it was so much better.  
"Thank you! We'll be good!"  
"Thank you-!" Esther bowed, then rubbed her hands together. "But we've got to look for the other three, alright?"  
"Mhm!" Oliver nodded in response to his feisty friend. Evan looked at them both, then at his group. Of course they didn't mind.  
"Course you can!" Lofty responded, bouncing.  
"Perfect. Oliver, show me this Evermore!"

The great gates of Evan's pride and joy rose up in the distance, and caused its inhabitants to smile and the newcomer to gasp. "It's beautiful! Nothing like Al Mamoon, or Hamlin, or… Anything!"  
"Welcome to Evermore!" Evan looked warmly upon the city. "This is my kingdom!"  
"Woah…" The girl stepped ahead of the group to admire the city, under the careful watch of Roland, of course. Evan walked beside the still elated Oliver, curious.  
"Are you and Esther close?"  
"Huh- Of course! We've done a ton together, not to mention, passed those trials." Oliver shook his head, and Evan nodded. Trials, especially those of strength, were not fun at all.  
"Then I'm glad we finally found her! You'll see the others in no time at all, don't worry!" Evan encouraged, and Oliver gave him a smile both grateful and knowing. Just then, Bracken had to interrupt.  
"That's it! I can't take it anymore!" She marched up to Esther, who looked up at her, confused.  
"Can… Can I help you?"  
"Yes! Why were all of those monsters guarding you? How were you not hurt?" Bracken huffed, brimming with the need to know. Evan almost laughed at the familiar sight.  
"Well, you see, I played for them!"  
"Played for them?"  
"You know, music! Esther must be that good, huh." Oliver chimed in.  
"I am that good!"  
"Music made them like you?"  
"It has that effect on things." With a joyful laugh, Esther entered the city and the rest followed.

Night had fallen. Everyone was settled. The others had been filled in, Bracken found out what she needed, and Oliver and Esther were sleeping in rooms next to one another. It was finally, finally quiet. Even Lofty and Roland were off doing their own things, now that Evan was settled in his warm chamber. But he was too curious to sleep! "It's here somewhere…" He mumbled as he searched a small bookshelf. The answers to all his questions must be here… Or maybe the answers were more questions! He sighed. Even still, curiosity had the cat in it's thrall, so when he found the book, he settled in. The mythical Saviour, huh? Thine to reread that old tale.

The book snapped shut in Evan's lap. He was shocked. He was right! Maybe? This was a lot, a lot more complicated than he thought. World travel was easy enough, but by the look of things, it was a lot more complex than anyone thought. That was a maybe, though! For once, Evan hoped be was wrong. Overthinking it maybe? Oh well. It was late, and with a thousand questions still on his mind, Evan went to sleep. He could puzzle it out when he has all the pieces, so there was no point in worrying.

"When the world was in its greatest peril, he appeared - the young child who came to be called our Saviour. Before he was our saviour, his name was Oliver, and he traveled with the Fairy of tears. One thing was special about him from the start, for he could mend a broken heart. With this power, he started to save. First was the King of Ding Ding Dell, saved from heartbreak and the mice. In waves of sand, he saved a Great Sage and his daughter. This child, Esther, joined Oliver on his adventure. So off the trio now set. They passed trials, stopped an early doom and saved the Cowlipha of Al Mamoon. But all would not go smoothly, for their plans were interrupted by a scoundrel thief who called himself Swaine. Of course, our hero saved him as well, and then there were four. The next stop was Hamlin, city of industry, where they both saved and befriended the young prince. Throughout many travels, trials and tribulations, they arrived at their goal. Shadar, the Dark Djinn. But they defeated him, and the world was saved by the Saviour and his mostly crew." The boy recited, much to the girl's surprise. "My father loved to read this to me, so I remember it..."  
"It's… Oliver! That's… What happened?" She sounded shocked. "No, no, let me tell you the rest! The real story!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow that was a pretty quick update, if I say so myself!  
Anyway welcome to papa Roland adopting yet more children and no-one can stop him, as well as Evan using those braincells he worked so hard for.


	5. Wandering

Chapter 5 ~ Wandering  
Oliver

"So that's where we are?" Esther nodded along, having listened carefully to Oliver's words. "Evermore? In a world where the only familiar city is Ding Dong Dell, and now that's ruled by mice?"  
"Yeah, I think so." Oliver frowned, trying to get his head around it too. "It's so..."  
"But Oliver, haven't you done all this before?"  
"Well, yes, but I had Mr Drippy to explain it all!" He huffed at Esther's interjection, staring at the ground as the two of them took a walk around the farms and gardens. They were thankful to their hosts, really, but recently there had been more and more times they would have to leave a conversation because they simply didn't understand. Didn't belong.  
"Oh, right. Where is he? It's not like him to leave you alone." Esther thought, repeating the swivel of her head she hadn't stopped for days. She missed them as much as Oliver did, that was obvious. "I mean, he's the only adult in our group, so we kind of need him."  
Oliver laughed. The other two would be mildly, or not so mildly offended, but it would be like usual. Usual would be nice! "I can't say you're wrong?"  
Esther laughed as well, her cheery voice carrying on the air and making these odd little colourful creatures glance in their direction. "Of course I'm not!" Her voice quieted as she looked up to the clouds. "Still, this place feels…"  
"Familiar? Like it gives you the creeps?"  
"You too? Yeah, it does. But that's not their fault! You know, Evan's my favourite King we've met."  
"Really?!" Oliver blinked, shocked.  
"I said King, not Prince or Queen. I do have my real favourites, after all!" Esther huffed, then chuckled. "Of course I like him, like all of them. They're wonderful."  
"Mhm. As soon as the first misunderstanding was cleared up, they've been so warm."  
"What misunderstanding? You had a misunderstanding?"  
"Well, I was almost shot-"  
"What?!" It was Esther's turn to be shocked. Or maybe Oliver would describe her as indignated. Or quite simply, angry. "Shot? You?" Yes, definitely angry. Oliver sighed, shaking his head.  
"Again, misunderstanding! They probably thought I was a dark sorcerer, huh."  
"Oliver, don't be ridiculous. You look far too innocent to be a dark anything."

They'd been talking for a long, long time. Although, neither of the children noticed the hours that had slipped by, or the multitude of paths they'd walked along. After some food from a store, however, they were back on their stroll. "Something ought to have happened by now." The girl sighed, shaking her head.  
"I guess it's a slow day?" Oliver offered, shrugging. Ester was right, though. Usually by now someone would've at least checked up on them.  
"I suppose." She sighed, giving up on her legs and sinking into the nearest bench. Oliver smiled, sitting next to her.  
"It's fine, though! We don't need to do much unless they've found a clue, or need our help!"  
"Really? You're right. Although, we should hope for some sort of a clue. I don't think the poor Prince could survive out there alone."  
"Esther!" Oliver chided, then couldn't hold back his chuckle. "I'm sure he's doing just fine!"  
"Okay, he is a Sage after all, he's capable… Probably. His brother on the other hand, now…" Esther grinned, and Oliver could see the glint of mischievous glee in her eyes. "How much do you think he's stolen?"  
"Esther-!" Oliver tried to stop her, but laughed at her words again. "Swaine wouldn't! I'm sure he's being responsible!" He tried to believe, but the words Swaine and responsible did not belong together. Esther had put him at ease however, and it was with light hearts the two settled down. Although, they had only managed a few minutes of peace before Oliver broke it. "Esther?"  
"Yeah, Oliver?"  
"I think we should join Evan and the others." Oliver sat up straight, looking at his friend. "We should help them out! Me and you can handle battles, and puzzles, and anything at all! So, that's why we should offer to help with anything! After all, they've been so nice…"  
"I agree!" She nodded, which relieved Oliver. "It's only fair, and we could learn a lot. Of course, our top priority is still to find the others!"  
"Definitely! I think they'd like it here. I like it here."

The two of them were starting to think they really were forgotten about for the day. But if they were to set their plan in motion, it might be best to learn about the world. What was it that was always mentioned? 'Doloran'? 'Kingsbonds'? Broken bonds? Oliver sighed. He had no clue what any of that meant, and he doubted Esther did either. Oh well. It was just time to learn! "Let's go!"  
"What? Where?" Esther looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "Why"  
Oliver explained his thoughts happily. "We need to learn about this world, to help."  
"Ooh, right. Let's find someone to teach us, then!" Esther clapped her hands together, then looked around. That would be easier said than done.  
"Let's check the stores, maybe?"

There was no-one they recognised there. Or on the streets. Or eating anywhere. Or even in the castle!  
"That's it, I'm exhausted…" Esther complained. "Come on, let's head back to the castle to… Look again?"  
"Okay." Oliver nodded, looking for the way back. He paused. "There's one problem with that…"  
"Don't you dare say it-"  
"We're lost. I've never been to this part of Evermore before." He admitted, as Esther groaned. It wasn't his fault! They were on a hill, surrounded by workshops of some kind. Of course they could see the castle spires that loomed above the city, you always could, but actually making it there was a whole different issue.  
"Oliver, I was relying on you! But it's okay. We'll get directions or something."  
"Um, alright." So they searched for another soul. No-one! This was getting ridiculous…  
"Let's… Oh, I see lights on in there!" Oliver pointed to a building, rushing towards it. Esther followed, as relieved as he was.  
"Oh thank goodness, someone will-" Esther was cut off by the sound of an explosion. "Eek!"  
"Jeepers!" Oliver stepped back, wincing. Smoke obscured the windows, blocking their view. "I hope they're alright!"  
"That sounded nasty!" Esther agreed, starting to look for an entrance they could use. There was the slam of a door on the other side of the building, and three familiar voices could be made out.  
"Okay, take note that higgledies are not a good power resource-"  
"You could've killed us all. That was-"  
"Come on, you started that as well. You both nearly set me on fire."  
"Nearly! And I warned you all of the risks involved, so you can't complain if you end up barbecued." The trio complained to one another loudly.  
"What the…" Esther muttered, holding back laughter. Oliver was a bit more worried.  
"I hope no-one was really burnt…"

The trio's footsteps got louder, and they wandered around a corner, into view. The mechanic was only slightly more messy than usual, her goggles down over her eyes. Leander, the usually neat one, was a mess, his glasses fogged up and his hair disheveled. And then there was Roland, with his coat over his shoulder and a sour expression. In fact, only Bracken looked remotely pleased about the explosion. "I'm telling you, explosions are par for the course in creating things!"  
"Explosions, yes, but setting people on fire isn't."  
"Really Bracken, what sort of things were you doing at Broadleaf?"  
"Exploding things, duh? I'm kidding, I'm kidding." She laughed, shaking her head. "No, that was the worst explosion I've been in."  
"Really, I..." Leander was about to say something, then went quiet when he saw the two children trying their hardest to stay quiet. Esther waved, and Oliver approached them.  
"Hi! Um, we couldn't help but notice the explosion, and, well…"  
"Are you three alright?" Esther hopped over to them, surveying them for injuries.  
"We're good!" Bracken shook her head, then looked at her two friends. "Right?"  
"Yes, I'm not actually injured." Leander sighed, and Roland nodded. The children were relieved, and Oliver glanced at the workshop, where the faint light of a dancing flame was visible in the smog.  
"Um, would you like some help putting that out?"  
"Yes, yes we would, before anything important burns down." Roland glanced at the fire, then walked back towards the entrance. "Just don't end up on fire."  
"How stupid do you think we-" Esther's complaint was cut off by Leander.  
"He's just being cautious. Oliver, please assist me in putting it out." With that, he cleaned his glasses and marched into the building, leaving Oliver to rush after him.

"Cloudburst!" Oliver raised his wand, filling the building with rain. It was his best shot in helping out, so he kept it up whilst watching Leander. The man was rapidly shooting balls of water at the larger flames, quickly extinguishing them. Oliver's rain, while it wasn't effective enough to extinguish, stopped the flames from growing. Oliver closed his eyes, wiping his hand across his forehead. "It's like a volcano in here…"  
"Yes, yes it is." Leander agreed, looking even more bothered by the heat than Oliver.  
"You guys are useless!" Esther called from the open door, rolling her eyes. "It's nice and warm in there." Oliver could hear quiet snickering from the others outside, and he frowned.  
"Come in then!"  
"Fine!" Esther marched in, Gogo on her shoulder. She surveyed the fire, shaking her head. Leander stopped to look at them, raising an eyebrow.  
"Don't walk into a burning building to prove a point. Have you no sense?"  
"I have a ton of sense, and we're going to help." Esther smiled proudly, setting Gogo down and sending him out to splash water all over the fire. With the combined effort of two wizards, a harpist, her familiar, and a small group of water Higgledies the pair staying outdoors had rounded up, the fire was out.

"Phew!" Bracken ran in, immediately checking the tables. "Everyone's stuff is safe, today is not the day we wreck it all."  
"That's… an ominous promise." Roland sighed, leaning on the doorway. Bracken flashed him a grin, sorting out files into small piles. Oliver took a look around the workshop while she cleaned. Without the burn marks and the rancid smell of acidic smoke, it would've been a nice place. High ceilings, copper cogs and the whistle of machinery reminded him of Hamlin. He rotated on the spot, smiling to himself as he looked around. Esther and Roland were talking by the door, Bracken was tinkering with a particularly burnt machine, and Leander was walking towards Oliver, which surprised him.  
"Thank you for your help. Your magic is really impressive, Oliver." Leander nodded at the short wizard. Oliver smiled.  
"You're welcome, it was nothing! Your magic is far more impressive than mine."  
"Not particularly. I've had a long, long time to practice. On the other hand, you seem extremely gifted."  
"Oh-" He was shocked, and maybe a little embarrassed from the compliment. "Thank you?"  
"It's-" Leander paused to look up. "If you'll excuse me, I'm late." He hurried out of the building, leaving the rest to watch him go.  
"Took you long enough to remember!" Bracken called after him, sitting down and stretching. "Whatever. Come sit down."

So sit they did. At least, Oliver and Esther sat on stools opposite Bracken. Roland continued to hover at the side of the room, watching them with crossed arms.  
"So, what brings you two to my workshop?"  
"Well, um, uh…"  
"We got lost." Esther admitted with a sigh. "We saw lights, and then heard an explosion, so…"  
"So we did accomplish something!" Bracken clasped her hands together. "Okay, what were you trying to find?"  
"We were trying to find… You guys, actually." Oliver remembered, smiling. "The explosion had good timing, huh."  
"Don't compliment the explosion." Roland sighed, shaking his head at the three of them. "Why did you want us?"  
"Well…" Oliver thought, glanced at Esther, then replied. "We want to know about this world. About all these things you say! That way we can help you guys."  
"Exactly! We can do a lot, so there's no point in us just sitting around when you guys have problems." Esther added. The two looked taken aback at their earnest offer, and there was quiet except for the hum of machinery whilst they glanced between each other and the children. Bracken spoke up first, deep in thought.  
"That's certainly an offer! There's no denying you guys are talented. I'm totally up for it! I'll teach you everything. Come on Roland, you'll help, right?"  
"Well… Bracken, they are talented…" Roland trailed off, tapping his foot. He started up again, striding to the table where they sat. "Fine. You can learn about what's going on. We really do need the help, after all."  
"Thank you!" Oliver's eyes lit up as he stared at Roland. Esther patted Oliver's shoulder, leaning over him and smiling at Roland.  
"Thanks! But… What's this about needing help?"  
"Settle down." Roland sighed, sitting next to Bracken, who stretched.  
"It's a long story!"

It was a long story. Roland had saved Evan from a coup and escaped with a plan to build a new kingdom. Then, they befriended pirates. A lot of pirates. After completing the Kingmaker's trials (which Oliver thought sounded a bit like Solomon's trials, minus the offensive sage), Lofty joined them, and the pirates became the first citizens of their new kingdom. Roland had told them all of this so far, and he continued to explain. After founding a kingdom, a quest for wood left them investigating the corrupt government of a place called Goldpaw. Apparently the person in charge was good, but was manipulated by a strange, armoured man called Doloran, who broke and stole Goldpaw's kingsbond. How weird… But after searching the sea, they met Leander in a watery city. Oliver couldn't help but notice they kept the details vague. Perhaps that was Leander's tale to tell. He should have taken notes, it was getting so complex. But it didn't take a genius to understand that Doloran stole the queen of Hydropolis' Kingsbond as well. This time, it was Bracken's turn to tell the story of how the rest showed up one day and helped her save her childhood friend. Esther 'awwed' audibly at this, nodding. Although… yet again, a stolen Kingsbond.

"That guy is ridiculous!" Esther huffed, crossing her arms. Oliver agreed, and with Bracken's sour smile it looked like she agreed.  
"Yeah. One more thing you should know, he caused the coup."  
"He what-" Oliver froze, confused. He had had his fair share of dark sorcerers. "Oh…" He looked at Esther. Her face matched his; full of worry. Worry that Doloran would figure out how to break hearts, worry that their friends were in danger, and the worry that like before, he was just a pawn of something greater. The two shared a look which explained everything to one another, although Bracken and Roland seemed to miss it as they recalled the past.  
"Oh, right, and we're allies with each and every major nation now!" Bracken added with a happier smile, and Roland looked proud.  
"Evan did well."  
"So did you, chief Consol!" Bracken laughed, nudging him and making him smile.  
"I suppose I did. But more importantly, we need your help in protecting the kingdoms."  
That was sounding really familiar by now. Oliver was only thirteen, and this was the third time of being asked to save the world! Still, being the pure-hearted boy he was he couldn't refuse. He had at least matured at least a little since then. Although, he wondered how they'd react if he said no. It couldn't be funnier than Mr Drippy's reaction. Just before he could make a comment, Esther spoke up. "I can see the look on Oliver's face, and that means we're helping. I wouldn't have it any other way." Oliver was shocked. Was he that easy to read? But he laughed.  
"That's right! Count us in."  
"What, really?" Bracken blinked, then smiled. "Thanks. Really."  
"Right. Thank you." Roland looked glad, if not a little shocked. They were probably expecting a more reserved view.  
"You're welcome! We'll help you protect everyone. It's the least we can do."

"So you see, it didn't end there!" The girl huffed, standing up. "Shadar was trying to protect the world, in the end. Protect the world from manna… It fell like rain in each city, turning the inhabitants to raging beasts. Poor Oliver and friends were caught in the middle! But Marcassin fell from the sky too and saved them! A few survivors, the pirate king and the remaining great sages were all on an airship. But the manna fell there too. But the young princess of Nazcaä got rid of it! And all six of them saved every city! But then, they had to save her. They fought and saved queen Cassiopeia from her own nightmares. And at the end, the princess and the queen became one again! And the day was saved!"  
"What? Really?" The boy jumped up too, blinking. "Woah! That bit wasn't in the tales…"  
"Clearly whoever wrote your story was wrong."  
"I guess so… When we're free, I'll correct it. And I'll add this story!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Roland and Bracken actually adopting some highly righteous kids, because none of them can help themselves


	6. Rest?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the gap between chapters, I've had a ton of unexpected emergencies but hey, here we go! A whole new, shiny chapter!

Chapter 6 ~ Rest?  
Roland

Roland sighed. His hand hovered over the parchment he was trying to write on. He had been pondering what to do for the past few days now. There was just so much to figure out. Groaning, he leaned back. While he didn't know what to do, the woman flitting around the room certainly did. She was grabbing almost everything and piling it, mumbling to herself. Her enthusiasm made him smile, but he shook his head. "Don't drop anything."  
"As if!" She winked, perching on the only clear spot on Roland's desk. "When have I ever dropped things?"  
"Do you want a list?" He raised an eyebrow, making Bracken laugh.   
"Absolutely not!" Sliding her goggles off of her face, she looked at him. "Unless you want a list of all the times you've messed up one of my experiments?"  
"Those were for your safety." Roland crossed his arms. "And the safety of the surrounding area."  
"You don't know that attaching a gun to my leg would be dangerous." They both laughed, and Bracken slid off the desk. "But I'll work on the things you want done, because I'm just that good." She scoffed, sorting out her materials. Roland took one look up at the blackened ceiling before returning to his paperwork. "Uh-huh."

"Andifthisgoesherebuthatcan'tgothere…" Bracken muttered under her breath, her hands moving as fast as her words. "AndifI-"  
"Remember to breathe." Roland sighed, peering over his paperwork. Bracken nodded, then went back to work, only at a slightly slower pace. Deciding she's a lost cause, Roland let his mind wonder. Wow, the past week had been something, alright. He couldn't call it boring, that's for sure. Perhaps it was a much-needed break. Who knows? Not Roland, apparently. He huffed. All this thinking and he was nowhere near to any sort of idea as to what's going on. Or what to do. Geez. He looked over at a blank wall, settling into a state of half-asleep. He was pretty tired, after all. Maybe he could catch a break.  
"Damn!" Bracken huffed, kicking a lump of metal as she started to pace. Roland sat up suddenly, jolted awake. No break for him.  
"What happened?"  
"I may or may not have wasted the last of one of my things. Uuhgh…" She complained, wheeling around to face him.  
"Really? Can we get them around here?" Roland sighed, raising an eyebrow at her mess of a workstation.   
"Nope!" Bracken clasped her hands together. "Perhaps… Alright, you're coming with me!"  
"Huh- uh, why?" He was confused, but stood up to go all the same. Bracken wandered over, smiling.  
"I'll explain when we pick up Leander. The three of us are going on a trip." 

Leander was pretty simple to find. After the two had left the workshop, it only took them a few stops to figure out where he was. Stood by the edge of the sector, Leander stared over the rest of Evermore, paying no attention to the two coming up behind him.  
"Morning!" Bracken called, standing right beside Leander. He quickly turned his head, then relaxed when he saw it was the two of them.   
"Good morning. Did you need something?" Ever to the point, he was. Roland enjoyed how bluntly the three of them could talk.  
"We do, or more accurately Bracken does, we're being dragged out to help her."  
"Yep." Bracken shrugged, smiling. It would actually do some good for them to get a break, no matter how short.  
"Really? Well, alright then." Leander sighed, properly turning to face them. "Let's go to wherever it is we're going."  
"Right, Bracken, now you have to explain." Roland looked at her expectantly.  
"Alright, so, we're going over to, uh, give me a moment." Thinking, Bracken started to walk out of town, leaving the two to follow. "Right, we're going to Makronos."  
"Oh? What do you need?" Leander glanced at her, a glint in his eye.  
"Uhh, I'll tell you when I see it, I forget the name." Bracken shrugged, but Roland frowned. Bracken never forgot anything, so something was up. Although, he trusted her, so continued to tag along. She would explain later, he was sure of it.   
"Alright. Are we taking the boat, Zippelin, or just trip dooring there?" Leander asked, to which Roland almost laughed. A month or so ago, those words would've made no sense to him, yet now he understood them completely. Understood them enough to answer with a light smile.  
"Let's trip door, it'll be faster and we can carry what we need."  
"Got it. Hold on." Leander stretched his arms, went tense, and then Roland was surrounded with a blue light. There it was; the familiar sensation of floating to a new place. Of course, being familiar didn't make it any less unusual.

There was a soft thud as three pairs of feet landed on sand. Beautifully coloured coral sheets loomed above them in structures larger than houses, all resting on a beautiful sandy island. He could see why this was a lot of Hydropolian's favourite place to visit. Everything was picturesque, except for the sand in his shoes. That stuff got everywhere. From Bracken's resigned expression to Leander's peaceful one, it was obvious they had different views on the stuff. "Thanks Leander. Bracken, what are we looking for?"  
"You're welcome." The wizard nodded, but Bracken had already wandered up onto a coral platform and didn't hear. The Consuls shared a look, then clambered after her, to try to help.  
"Bracken?" Roland narrowly avoided slipping in a puddle. "Hey, Bracken!"  
"Huh?" The mechanic turned her head, only just now reacting. "Yeah?"  
"What exactly are we looking for? We've already passed a lot of the unique local products." Leander flicked his gaze across the towering structures, confused. "So what exactly is it you need?"  
"It should be, uh, right here." Bracken gestured to the floor. "There should be a poisonous type of coral somewhere here?"  
"Bracken…" Shaking his head, Leander looked increduled. "Most of the corals we're standing on are dangerous when ingested. Here." He broke a branch off of a nearby growth, handing it over. "It goes without saying, but don't put it near your mouth."  
"Of course I wouldn't each poison! But see, that's why I need to bring you guys along with me."  
"What, to make sure you don't poison yourself?" Roland couldn't help but joke.  
"Owch, walked right into that one." Bracken laughed, pocketing her coral. "I meant for your brains, idiots."  
"Yes, you couldn't manage without us, we know." Even Leander couldn't help but speak with a hint of mischievous glee, which only made Bracken laugh more. Which then made the others laugh. This went on for, well, quite some while. They all needed a good laugh, although their egos would never admit that in front of anyone.  
"Come on-!" Huffed Bracken, recovering from her bout of giggles. "We're going to Hydropolis."  
"Huh?" Roland coughed to calm himself down, returning to his calm demeanor. Leander had calmed down first, being the most unflappable of them all.  
"We are? What else do you need?"  
"Lunch." Bracken nodded, as if that ended all discussion. "We should go for lunch."  
"Lunch? But w-"  
"When's the last time either of you has eaten?" Roland interjected with a sigh, which brought silence. Leander responded awkwardly, with a quiet cough.   
"A lunch out it is then, I suppose."

With Bracken's sheer determination, it did not take long for the three of them to be sitting in a cafe overlooking the ocean. Leander had recommended the place, so they went with it - because in three hundred years of living here, you'd think he knew the best place to eat. Turns out he actually did.  
"This is delicious!" Exclaimed Bracken, twirling her inky pasta around her plate. The food here was certainly speciality…  
"Uh-huh." Roland nodded, then took a bite of whatever it was Bracken had ordered for him. He didn't know, and he didn't think he wanted to know. It probably tasted nicer that way.  
"Really? A lot of food tastes like that around here." Muttered Leander from a huge bowl of what he called his favourite dish. Although, he wouldn't actually name the dish, so Roland would take that with a grain of salt.  
"Huh, we should eat out more. Maybe come as a huge group one day." She shrugged. Oh god, bringing just their seven would be hectic enough, not to mention the other two who didn't know a thing. Hectic would definitely be a word to describe it. At least neither group had made it to the other's throats yet..  
"Roland, stop looking so pensive and eat your goddamn lunch." The glare from Bracken made him blink and sit up.   
"I'm eating my 'goddamn lunch', don't worry." He huffed, making the quotations clear in his voice, then went quiet and ate. Smiling, Bracken munched on the rest of her meal, and Leander continued eating. It was the most relaxing, peaceful moment Roland had seen in forever. It was nice.

The three of them took their time in eating every last bite of their meals. Roland smiled; what could he say, both the food and atmosphere were brilliant. The lapping of the waves lulled him into admitting he was tired, and they should do this more. Bracken grinned as if she just read his mind. "See, lunch was a great idea. Thanks for the help guys."  
"You're welcome, it's nothing." Leander nodded with a small smile, getting up and brushing his coat off. "Shall we get going? I want to visit the palace on the way back."  
"Sounds good to me." Roland got up as well, checking the sky. Good, it was only afternoon. "Let's go."  
"Kay." She followed the others in getting up, stretching her arms out in front of her. "Lead the way."  
With a nod, Leander turned on his heel and started walking down the streets. Roland and Bracken stuck close, but hung back a little bit. "Bracken?"  
"Huh? What is it?"  
"Thanks. I know you used this as an excuse to give us a break." Roland admitted, to which Bracken winked cheerfully.  
"I don't know what you're on about. Absolutely do not know." Roland laughed, and he could hear almost silent chuckles from the man in front. She was great, and it was with forgetting his problems that Roland continued to walk, the grinning mechanic behind him. Their footsteps mixed with the sounds of hustle here and there, as they finally made it to the palace gates. Ah, the odd teleporter. It was one of those things that never failed to astound Roland. Noticing Bracken speed up to catch up to Leander, he followed suit. The three of them thanked the guard and stood in the circle, and with the same unusual feeling as using a trip door, were transported to the underwater throne room. 

It was with a warm smile that Queen Nerea saw them, and the three rushed over.  
"Good afternoon, your majesty." Roland bowed, nudging Bracken to do the same. Leander gave a graceful bow as well, looking up at his childhood sweetheart with adoration. That is exactly what Tani would describe as adorable, and Roland couldn't help but agree. It was, actually, quite cute.  
"It's nice to see you all." Nerea gracefully stepped down off her daias to be level with the three. "What brings you here?"  
"We're passing through and came to visit." Bracken shrugged happily.  
"Ah, thank you for visiting, then."  
More and more pleasantries were exchanged, but then there was a surprise. The loudmouth they were introduced to was… Well, all of Roland's problems were remembered. Especially the newest one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo boy-  
I swear this chapter has more relevance than those three being happy but like those three being happy makes me ^∆^


	7. Pippin

Chapter 7 ~ Pippin  
Esther

She was bored. Oh so very bored. The wind brushing her hair to one side did nothing to ease her boredom. Neither did the swaying grasses at her feet, or the distant noises of monsters and people. While yes, it could be described as beautiful, peaceful, one hundred other words, Esther found it completely and utterly boring. There were only so many trips to stare at the wilderness you could take before it was no longer impressive. With a sigh, she broke the silence by strumming her harp, making a soft sound that carried down the hill she sat upon. The note became a small tune, the song coming easily to her. Although the song sounded better played on other instruments, Esther felt she was almost there on perfecting it. Well, it had given her something to do, at least. Yes, Esther was extremely grateful to be reunited with Oliver, but still - doing nothing after spending the past months of her life saving the world was something she was struggling to adjust to. Unlike Oliver, she admitted to herself with some envy, Esther couldn't practice her actual abilities. While he had fellow wizards and got on well with everyone, she had nothing. No familiars, no familiar trainers, and not a harpist in sight. She sighed. Monsters had crowded around the base of the hill as they head the music, but they couldn't be tamed, so Esther looked upon them with disappointment. Maybe she would fight one or two to make sure her familiars were all in shape.

"One and two and dodge and four-" Esther chanted under her breath, directing her Flurongo around the battlefield. "Now!" She called with a grin, Gogo squawking and slicing the hamster-like creature with lightning. Good. It fell to the floor. Esther started her chant again. But she mistimed it. Damn. Gogo stumbled, taking a hit from the other creature. Owch. "That hurt!" Esther huffed, recalling her familiar. "Try this on for size!" Spitefully, she played a nimble tune and a shockwave hit the thing, downing it too. At least she wasn't bored. "Heh." The harpist smirked, carefully placing her harp away. All this rest and she was still capable, good. Someone would need to save the others from whatever ridiculous peril they were in, after all. The thought was enough to bring a smile to her lips. Perhaps she'd have more luck today! Sucking on a herb that Evan said would fix up any scratches, she gazed over the landscape one last time. Somewhere out there were the idiots she was missing. With her newfound energy, Esther went back into the city. Staying positive would be the key.

"Excuse me, have you heard or seen anything about these people?" Esther asked the shopkeeper, showing her pictures of the three missing boys. Getting Marcassin's picture was easy, she had taken the one the Cowlipha gave them. Swaine and Drippy were a bit harder, but eventually she had convinced an artist to paint them. The images looked similar enough, and so she had been using them to ask around for a while.  
"Out on the search?" The woman smiled, then shook her head. "I'm afraid to say that Evan came in a few days ago, asking the same thing. I haven't seen anything in that time."  
"Oh…" Esther's smile faded. She was sure that this stop would tell her something. "Absolutely nothing? Not even the smallest unusual thing?"  
"No, not even that." Esther's crestfallen expression must've made the woman feel bad, so she handed the girl a babana. Esther took it, staring. A sudden wave of homesickness struck her as she silently ate the fruit.  
"I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll find them soon, everyone here is doing their best to help out." The woman went back to sorting out her shop, but Esther stared at her. Finishing a mouthful, she questioned,  
"Really? Oh… Well, thank you all." She never expected the citizens to be so nice. What a surprise. "Really, thank you."  
"You should make a stop in Aranella square before you go back to the castle. It's a nice place, and a lot of people pass through." Meaning it'd be her best chance for gossip. Esther nodded, her determined smile weaseling onto her face. "Thanks for the advice and snack, miss!"   
"You're welcome."   
Esther headed back outdoors, a new route forming in her mind.

"Aranella square, huh?" Ether mumbled to herself, strolling around. She would find that later; for now she would ask around. "Good morning, have you seen these three?" Esther asked a grimalkin, to which the answer was that sorry, no they hadn't. She asked a Merperson. Another no. She asked every single person who crossed her path that morning. Mainly nos, but she did find out a few things. In a neighboring kingdom there had been weird, unexplained occurrences. On another continent there were weirder, still unexplainable circumstances. They'd started the day Oliver arrived here, she worked out. From the disappearance of materials (which wasn't that dire) to the disappearance of people (which was a lot more troubling), this world had its fair share of ups and a whole lot of downs. It was while Esther was pondering her newly gleaned information that she fell over. "Ack-" she winced as she went tumbling into the dirt. Furtively glancing around, Esther relaxed. No-one had seen that. Well, except for the weird green thing that had tripped her up in the first place. She stared at it. It stared back. "Uhh, hello?" Esther sat up, checking herself for cuts, while still keeping her attention on the… thing. It waddled up to her, then spoke.  
"Hig pig! Higgle?"   
"Wha- ow!" Esther was distracted when she accidentally brushed a graze. Before she could get anything out to heal it, however, the thing poked her graze and it was gone. Just like that. "Wow…"  
"Hiiig!" It looked proud. With a smile, Esther stood up and picked it up. "Well, I'm not sure what you are, but I think I'll call you Pippin. Do you want to tag along?" Esther asked, placing Pippin on her shoulder. It's cheery noises were easy to understand, especially for Esther. Maybe the creatures were more sweet than weird.

Woah. The central square was definitely something, alright. A beautiful place, mixed with the buzzing of a joyful crowd. The market stalls and an inn surrounded an impressive centerpiece, which Esther just had to marvel over. Pippin seemed excited by the task of sightseeing, so weaving around the crowd they went. Of course Esther's worried gaze flicked around for the familiar bouncing, mess of hair or fancy clothing, but there was nothing. She didn't expect much, anyway. "Aranella square." Esther shook off her thoughts by reading a small, gilded plaque. "For Nella, who gave everything and started everything. Wow, she must be impressive." Wait, no, must've been. That plaque definitely sounded like she was deceased. Maybe she could ask Evan or Tani about it, they'd almost definitely know everything. She had just decided to find out some more when she noticed a woman covered in many, many of Pippin's species. Huh. Maybe she could explain.  
"Excuse me, miss?" Esther approached her.  
"Call me Aunt Martha, dearie." The woman, Martha, gave her a kindly smile, which Esther returned.  
"Alright, Aunt Martha. I'm Esther. And, well…" She stared at the small, colourful beings. "What're they?"  
"You can see them?" Martha raised her eyebrows, then looked at Pippin. "And you've befriended one of the little dearies?"  
"Of course I can see them, and, well, yeah, I've befriended this one."  
"Why don't you come with me, and I'll explain?"  
"Alright."

Walking down the main streets, the woman started to explain. "What you might think of as things are called Higgledies. They're little spirits made up of elemental forces."  
"Oh. That makes sense, then." Esther nodded, looking down at Pippin with her newfound knowledge.  
"You're a smart child to pick up so quickly." Aunt Martha smiled. What could Esther say, except she had a natural talent for magical creatures. She chose to say nothing, just nod and listen. "Well, some of the little ones can shoot cannons, some heal, and some are plain-up odd. I raise them."  
"You can raise them?" Esther perked up, getting excited. "They really are like familiars! Ooh, what can Pippin do?"  
"Pippin? I think she likes the name. She's always been a healer, that one, although she would never shy away from battles. A brave 'un." Martha looked proud, and Esther couldn't help but grin. Pippin reminded her of her precious familiars.  
"Wow, how talented… Aunt Martha, why did you ask if I could see them?"  
"You see, only people with the right disposition can see them. You've gotta be really special or really pure."  
"Really..?" Esther was shocked she could see them, it sounded like a very Oliver sort of thing. "Wow. How many are there around here?"  
"A lot more than anyone can count. Except me of course." Martha really seemed to take pride in her job. It made Esther like her more and more.  
"Hmm… Oh!" Esther gasped - they had reached a building just full of Higgledies. It was beautiful. She ran in without a second thought. "Hello… Oh my…" Esther muttered breathlessly, and Martha laughed. Suddenly getting an idea, Esther slid out her harp, petted Pippin, then surveyed the Higgledies. "May I, Aunt Martha?"  
"Of course you can."   
And so she played, a jaunty little song that started the more spritely Higgledies dancing by her feet. Soon more and more joined into the dance, as even Aunt Martha clapped in tune. Laughing giddily, Esther brought the tune to a close. As she took her bow, the Higgledies jumped happily and there was applause. Both from Aunt Martha and the redhead at the doorway.

"That was brilliant, Esther!" Tani grinned, bounding up to her.  
"Thanks…" Esther rubbed the back of her head, bashful. She hadn't realised the young pirate had been listening. "Really. It means a lot."  
"The Higgledies liked that too." Aunt Martha nodded, clapping her hands together. "Could you play for us again?"  
"Of course I can, whenever you want!" She smiled, excited at the idea of playing for them. It was almost like playing for Familiars. "It'd be an honour."  
"Ooh, I'll drag Evan along." Tani nodded, and Esther looked a little stunned. No matter what happened, playing for royalty would always astound her. "Anyway, on the topic of that, Evan and Oliver are getting lunch, come and eat with us!"  
"Oh, alright. Thank you, Aunt Martha! I'll be back!" Esther waved, and the two energetic girls, along with a Higgledy, ran out of the front door.

"Oh, you found her. Good!" Evan grinned over the plates of food he had gathered. "Hello Esther!"  
"Good afternoon, Evan. Hey Oliver." The harpist bowed to the king and flashed a smile at her friend. "Lunchtime?"  
"Mhm." Oliver nodded, nibbling on the edge of a sandwich. The poor boy still looked worried. Hopefully there'd be a breakthrough or something.  
"Great!" Cheered Tani, digging in immediately. It was easy to tell she wasn't exactly palace-bred. Esther laughed, sitting next to Oliver and taking a few biscuits. Finally sitting down and eating, Evan looked at the other three.  
"Anything interesting happened today?"  
"Nope-!" Mumbled Tani through her food. Oliver almost laughed at her, but ended up sighing.  
"Not really, just the same as usual."  
"Well, I have a new friend." Feeding Pippin a biscuit, Esther smiled. Oliver's mouth was wide open. "Sweet, isn't she? Oh, right! Evan, who's Aranella?"  
"H-huh?" Evan paused, staring up at Ester. "Nella was… She basically did everything for me. Taught me, got things for me… She's the one who gave me the idea for Evermore!"  
"Wow, she sounds wonderful…" Oliver looked up from his food, nodding. Evan really cared for Aranella, that much was as plain as day. After a few moments of quiet, Tani asked a question.   
"So, do you two have parental figures?"  
"I do, my father. He's a great sage." Smiling with pride, Esther thought about him.  
"Umm… Not anymore..." Oliver went quiet, and Esther winced.  
"A-anyway, what about you?"  
"Oh, Batu's my dad. And I'm pretty sure Roland is some sort of parental figure to the lot of us. Especially Evan." Tani nodded sagely, to which Evan laughed. Esther joined the laughter too, then the group set out to devour the food in front of them.

In record time, each crumb of food had vanished. A peaceful lull lay over the room as the children sat back and relaxed. Of course, this being Evermore, it didn't last very long.  
"We're home!" Yelled the boisterous mechanic, stomping down the corridor. Right, a few of them went out in the morning. Esther could hear muttered conversation, a few pairs of footsteps, and-   
"No way!" She cried, standing up.  
"What is it?" Tani raised her eyebrows, as Oliver took stood up in silence.  
"Can you hear something? It's just the three of them…" Evan's ears twitched, then his eyes lit up with understanding. "Is that a bell?"  
"No, it's like a dog's toy!" Tani argued, hearing it too. Oliver and Esther took no heed, grinning wildly at each other. It was a unique sound, one they had hoped to hear.

The door opened, Bracken and Leander heading through first, with Roland following behind. "Look what w-"  
"Ollie-boy!"  
"Mr Drippy!" The two ran up to each other, Oliver's longer legs making up most of the distance. "You're alright!"  
"I'm the Lord High Lord of the Fairies, of course I'm alright!" Drippy declared, full of pride.   
"Drippy!" Ether waved, heading over to join them. Finally, the three of them were together. Their prospects were much more promising. "Oh thank goodness!"  
"Ollie-boy, Esther, I see you've found some new friends?"  
"Yep!" Smiled Oliver, looking the happiest Esther'd seen him since they reunited. "This is King Evan and Tani. Guys, this is Mr Drippy!"  
"Oliver's oldest friend and our guide." Esther chinned in. The joy was infectious.  
"Oh, nice to meet you, youer Majesty!" Drippy bounced up to peer at the other people in the room. "You've found a right nice place to stay."   
"Isn't it?" Laughing, Oliver started to explain where they were.

Yes, Esther was insanely grateful to see Drippy again, but she left the talking to Oliver. The two were ridiculously close, after all. She'd let them have a moment, they deserved it. Poor Drippy, it looked like he'd been alone. Which means the most worrying ones were still out there. With a quiet chuckle to herself, Esther approached Roland. "Hey, Roland? Can I ask something?"  
"Huh?" Roland looked away from the wizard and fairy, turning to Esther. "What is it?"  
"Where'd you find Drippy? I've been looking nonstop!" She huffed.  
"Oh, apparently the Queen of Hydropolis found him washed up somewhere. He's been staying in the palace."  
"Ooh. Right." That made sense. It was ridiculous to think they'd all arrive in the same place, apparently. "So he's been fine? Good. I don't know what I, let alone Oliver, could do without him."  
"He means that much?" Roland sounded shocked. Although, Esther admitted, Drippy's stature was enough to fool anybody.  
"Yeah, he does. He means far more than even that to Oliver."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gooooood I'm sorry this has taken forever-  
I'm pretty busy with all of my Secret Santas, so I'm not 100% sure if there'll be a new chapter this year, so-  
Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a happy new year!


	8. Nighttime Revalations

Chapter 8 ~ Nighttime Revalations  
Evan

"You're up l-"  
"Roland." The young king spoke, a frown on his face and his voice serious. It was such a rare sight that his consul immediately nodded and went quiet. "I need to run something by you…"  
"Sure, what is it?" Roland walked over to Evan at his desk, his face matching the worried frown of his king.  
"It's those three… It's not that they're evil!" He quickly added. "It's just… You won't be familiar with it, so read this." Evan handed an open book to Roland. While he quickly read the few pages Evan had marked out, the young boy was fidgeting and thinking. The idea was always in the back of his mind, but now he had no doubts whatsoever.

Roland handed the book back without a word, looking shocked.  
"I know! Every single person in this world has heard this story before! Roland, he's-"  
"The saviour. The pure-hearted one. This boy has a whole lot of titles he has… Neglected to share with us."  
"Maybe he isn't from that point in time? Oh geez, that's weird… A different time…" Evan's voice trailed off, before a distant slam of a door reminded him he was speaking. "Anyway, he probably gets embarrassed by those titles!"  
"Fair point…" Roland nodded half-heartedly, clearly caught up in his own thoughts about the story. Or, Evan supposed, it wasn't just a bedtime story. It had really happened.  
"Roland..?"  
"Yes, Evan?"  
"You remember that trial? You know, in Lofty's cradle?" Evan's mind was working hard to put a lot of thoughts in order.  
"When you and the Higgledies vanished?"  
"Yes, then. Well, the puzzle I had to do was… It was a retelling of this story!"  
"So that means…" Roland started, and the two finished the sentence together.  
"Lofty knows something!"

The sun had just set when the two started their search, and the sky was full of stars by the time they found Lofty, napping in his cathedral.  
"Good evening Lofty!" Evan smiled, waking the small kingmaker up.  
"Just what'd you think youer doing, waking me up like that? Can't a kingmaker sleep in peace now?"  
"Um, Lofty…" Evan sighed, approaching him. "Me and Roland want to see you, that's all."  
"Really, then you can go back to sleep." Roland shook his head.  
"Fine. What can youer divine kingmaker help with?"  
"Well, um…" Evan trailed off, unsure on how to put it. "You see…"  
"How much do you know about the saviour?" Roland interjected.  
"The, uh, what? As if I would know something about a children's tale."  
"Lofty!" Evan chided. "I took your trial, remember?"  
"Oh, right you are…" Lofty sighed, shaking his head. "Fine. I know a whole lot, because one of my old lot knew a Higgledy who knew a Fairy who knew Drippy."  
"Uhhh…" Evan blinked. Then nodded. Even after ten seconds of silence, he was working it out. It meant Roland had to do the talking  
yet again.  
"Right. Okay. That makes them the mythical bunch, right?"  
"Righto. Now, I'm going back to sleep." With that, Lofty lay back down and closed his eyes.

"That was weird…" Muttered Evan, the two slowly walking back to the castle.  
"Lofty knows more than that, I'm sure."  
"Definitely. More importantly, we should put more effort into finding the missing two. I think they're called Swaine and Marcassain. That's what the book says, anyway."  
"Oliver's mentioned those names a few times as well." Roland nodded, looking up in thought. "I wonder what this means."  
Evan considered it. Really, it could mean anything. "It could be a coincidence, but-"  
"Seems unlikely. When I showed up, it was just in time to save you."  
"Because magic is like that, I think. So!"  
"That must mean…"  
"So many strong people showing up at once. It's…" Evan trailed off, frowning as he reached his conclusion. Roland nodded, sighing.  
"Something really bad is going to happen."

Even though the thought had crossed his mind before, hearing Roland say it felt like a blow. "Mhm…"  
"I just wish we knew what it is." Roland added, clearly as worried about it as the king. As their thoughts settled, the only noise on the deserted road was their footsteps. It took Roland a few tries to get Evan's attention.  
"Huh? Did you say something..?"  
"Yes, I did. The question is, what time are they from?"  
"What do you- Oh!" Evan's eyes widened in realisation. That was actually a problem. If something he did managed to change the past, then… It wasn't fun to even consider.  
"Exactly." Nodded Roland, easily guessing what Evan was thinking of. "We need to be careful."

"Mhm…" Evan thought, staring aimlessly upwards. "At least we know they're good people, Roland!"  
"I suppose you're right, although I'll still keep an eye on them."  
"Okay… Can you tell the others about this? And make sure to tell them to keep quiet!"  
"Got it." With a nod, Roland walked off, and Evan was left alone in the dark. Taking a deep breath, he wandered to the square. Thankfully, it was empty, so the young kind just sat there and thought. Thought about everything, from stories to his worries.

"Can't sleep?" A voice jolted Evan, and he spun around. "Me neither…"  
"O-oh, really?" Evan asked Oliver, trying not to give away just how much he had always admired the storybook Oliver. "Why's that?"  
"Oh, I'm usually thinking too hard to fall asleep." The wizard gave a slight chuckle, but Evan thought he heard a hint of a lie there. Still, he didn't press it, Oliver would explain if he wanted to.  
"Me too! That's why I usually come here…"  
"Does it help?"  
No. "Yes, usually after some fresh air I'm able to head to bed." He wasn't.  
"Good… Evan, thank you."  
"It's nothing, anything for, uh, a guest." Evan caught himself, standing up and yawning. "I think I'm finally ready to sleep."  
"Me too…" Oliver nodded, and the children returned to the castle.

"Their attempt is useless…"  
"Don't be like that! They're trying!"  
"I know, but this whole… Time thing is messier than normal already." The boy swilled his tea with a sigh.  
"You may be right, but I believe in them! They can fix it!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thisisnotafillerthisisnotafillerthisisnotafiller-  
Yeah it's a filler god I'm so sorry guys I swear on my love for Marcassin that it won't be yet another 2 months until there's an update-


End file.
